Monthly Archives: July 2009

Ok friends, thank you for your help with the iPod query… once again you have the ability to help me make a decision. Recently my PC motherboard decided to join its predecessors in the trash heap. Broken. Unfixable. Fatally flawed.

So now I’m faced with the decision to 1) get a new PC computer tower 2) buy a PC laptop or 3) buy a mac laptop.

I do *not* know how much data from my old PC can be saved…but let’s hope that most of it can be saved (MS Office documents, digital photos, and some music)

Since I’m looking at laptops, I’ll need to get a new external keyboard w/ USB plug, and an adapter for the external computer monitor (so i can use my current desk setup and have its ‘resting place’ on the computer desk)

So my big dilemma is: what’s the big deal about a Mac? They’re more expensive, I won’t be doing video editing. I’d also need to buy the iOffice program (or whatever it’s called – the apple version of MS Office: they told me at the apple store it’s comparable, and other people can open my files & vice-versa)

They have a special for a printer/copier/scanner rebate, iPod Touch w/ full rebate, and an educator discount. So it may be worth the expense (when compared to a comparable PC laptop) but my big question is: help me understand the good stuff about a Mac? If I buy the more $$ one, the battery will last longer. Are there issues/things I should be concerned about with Mac’s vs. PC’s? I want to make a good investment, a good decision, and don’t want to regret the purchase after I switch over to a whole new operating system.

Gah! So much to think about… this *is* a big change for me, so I’d welcome your thoughts :)

Lots of “check disk” and “problem files: ati3dvag”. Do the words “infinate loop” mean anything to you? To me it means my computer turns itself on/off and won’t stay on long enough for me to get into Safe Mode to fix the corrupt file and/or find the problem.

So I’m using the work computer for now…and have someone who’ll take a look-see tomorrow. Certainly hope it’s an easy fix – probably got some malware or a virus? Gah. Just how I wanted to spend my Sunday. I’d love to keep my personal files and computer in tact…we shall see.

In reading a favorite author, I came across her words about journaling…she journals all the time, helps her process and work through things. And she said in once instance she wrote everything down, she just didn’t write about what it meant. I really identified with that, because I too feel like I often write the facts, but not what they mean. Maybe because I’m still working it out? The nice thing about this format is its ability to be edited and/or updated and/or additional entries added as needed.

A new curve ball has been thrown at me to consider. What if I were to move to a new city (back to where I’m from – been away 10 years – so it’ll seem a new city) and work for an organization doing something completely different than what I currently do in my professional field??! My friend suggested that I consider the medical model for speech-language pathology (were I to move). What an eye-opener… because I *am* feeling a bit burned-out and am concerned about doing the same thing in a different environment…but how stimulating to have the learning curve of a whole new region within my certified field. I’d still like to stick with pediatrics, because I get a great deal of satisfaction from working with parents and families. It’s gratifying to help a parent help his/her child. And I enjoy working with more impaired children and families – because, in a selfish way, it’s more fulfilling. I love the idea of helping babies in the neonatal unit learn how to coordinate suck/swallow/breathe so that they can begin the journey of independence. Am intrigued by the idea of helping children communicate when they’re unable to speak, especially in such a foreign hospital environment (although, for some children, the hospital is more home than home-home is due to his/her circumstances). I’m not afraid, I have the certification needed (would just need the training), and am open. With the economy as it is, some may consider it foolish for me to walk away from a very secure job. And there’s a house to consider – what to do with my house? Yet I’d never know unless I did it.